For some residents of the Gaza envelope, agriculture is not just work – it is a way of life, their credo, their life.
I met farmer Hedva Cabessa from Kibbutz Ein HaBasor in the Eshkol region a few years ago. Along with Gonen Sade, she grows multicolored cherry tomatoes, Maggie tomatoes and mini cucumbers.
Hedva is a happy woman with a big heart, a true love of the land and a passion for her work. She tells us that all the kibbutzim and moshavim lost a lot of manpower on Black Saturday, Thai farmers or workers who were murdered or kidnapped by Hamas. There are also others who are still unable to go to work, or who are afraid to return to the area near the border. And even if workers come to operate what is left, they will not be able to enter the area, because these areas are currently closed by order of the army.
The tomato. Carving gently, photo: Assaf Carla
Hedva, Gonen and the other farmers are struggling with all their might to save what is left. They risk picking the produce and maintaining their life's work. We will enlist their help as soon as possible.
Until then - get two recipes purely made by the envelope.
Mini cucumber salad (Hedva's)
Photo: Assaf Carla,
Ingredients:
√ 1 pack of mini cucumbers
√ 1 peeled pomelo
√ 1 handful of peeled and roasted peanuts
√ 10 coarsely torn basil leaves
√ 2 handfuls of dried and fried onions/garlic
√ 3 stalks of green onions, coarsely cut
√ 1/2 red chili pepper
Sauce:
√ 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
√ 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or <> teaspoon salt)
√ 2 cloves peeled garlic
√ 1/2 red chili pepper
√ 1/2 squeezed lime (or lemon)
Photo: Assaf Carla,
How to prepare:
1. Crush all the ingredients of the sauce in a mortar and leaves or bowl, until a uniform and smooth sauce is obtained.
2. Slice the cucumbers diagonally.
3. Mix half of the fried onion/garlic with the rest of the salad and dressing ingredients.
4. Sprinkle the rest of the fried onion / garlic on top of the salad and serve.
Stuffed Maggie tomatoes
Photo: Assaf Carla,
Ingredients:
√ 1 kg Maggie tomatoes
Fill:
√ 500g ground beef
√ 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
√ 1 finely chopped onion
√ 3 cloves garlic, chopped
√ 1/2 pack chopped parsley
√ 1 chopped red chili pepper
√ salt and black pepper
Sauce:
√ 1 sliced onion
√ 1 teaspoon coarse salt
√ 1 small peeled and chopped ginger root
√ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
√ 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
√ 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
√ 1/2 tsp. cumin
√ 1 level teaspoon sweet paprika
√ 5 cloves garlic sliced
√ 1 sliced red chili pepper
√ 1 tablespoon pomegranate concentrate
√ 1 level teaspoon honey
For Germolata:
√ 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
√ 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
√ 1 chopped whole lemon peel
√ 3 cloves garlic, chopped
How to prepare:
Photo: Assaf Carla,
1. Gently cut X into the bottom of the tomatoes, put the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes to make them easier to peel, remove from the pot and peel.
2. Mix all the filling ingredients well in a bowl.
3. Mix all the ingredients of the grammolata well in another bowl.
4. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of the tomatoes and empty them. It is important to leave fleshy sides so that the tomato does not tear.
5. Keep the inside of the tomatoes in a separate bowl.
6. Fill the tomatoes with the filling so that it is compressed.
7. Fry the onion in a wide saucepan.
8. When the onion is golden, add all the ingredients of the sauce, except the garlic, chili, pomegranate concentrate and honey, and continue frying for 3 minutes.
9. Densely arrange the stuffed tomatoes over the onions and spices, and sprinkle the slices of garlic and chili between them.
10. Drain the inside of the tomatoes from seeds and pour over the stuffed tomatoes, along with the pomegranate concentrate, honey and juice of the tomatoes.
11. Shake the pot slightly so that the sauce mixes and cook in a covered saucepan for 40 minutes.
12. When serving, sprinkle the gremolata over the tomatoes.
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